This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project from Knowledge Revolution proposes to build on the successful, award winning, modeling and simulation products, Interactive Physics and Working Model 3D, products that enable students to participate in scientific inquiries and practice. Knowledge Revolution proposes to develop The Physics Collaboratory, an unprecedented Web-based product that will transform distributed, 3D environments from simple `walkthrough` spaces to worlds constrained by the principles of kinematics and dynamics. Guided by research findings from two nationally prominent research studies, the firm will fuse Knowledge Revolution's advanced 3D motion simulation engine with the Web and surround this prototype environment with a set of Web-based, collaboration tools. The firm will develop a set of sample activities for the prototype that foster active learning through social interaction. When made available commercially, such an environment could bring authentic forms of science practice to schools on a sufficiently large scale to significantly influence the ways in which teachers and students learn and do physics. Knowledge Revolution estimates 60 to 70 percent penetration of the K-12 physics market with Interactive Physics and 40 percent of Mechanical Engineering departments in four-year colleges with Working Model 3D products. Knowledge Revolution is experiencing continuing success and presence in the physics and engineering education markets: the firm is well-positioned to bring The Physics Collaboratory to market
